Mary Rust v. Bank of America, N.A.

Court of Appeals of Texas·Decided August 10, 2015·No. 01-15-00373-CV·Published

Opinion

ACCEPTED 01-15-00373-cv FIRST COURT OF APPEALS HOUSTON, TEXAS 8/10/2015 5:13:17 PM CHRISTOPHER PRINE CLERK

NO. 01-15-00373-CV

FILED IN 1st COURT OF APPEALS IN THE COURT OF APPEALS FOR HOUSTON, TEXAS THE FIRST DISTRICT OF TEXAS 8/10/2015 5:13:17 PM AT HOUSTON CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE Clerk

MARY RUST Appellant,

v.

BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. Appellee.

On appeal from the County Court at Law No. 1 of Travis County, Texas Trial court cause no. C-1-CV-14-010108 Hon. Todd T. Wong, Presiding

BRIEF FOR THE APPELLEE

Mark D. Hopkins Texas State Bar No. 00793975 Shelley L. Hopkins Texas State Bar No. 24036497 Hopkins Law, PLLC 12117 Bee Caves Rd., Suite 260 Austin, Texas 78738 (512) 600-4320- Telephone (512) 600-4326- Facsimile mark@hopkinslawtexas.com

ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLEE

August 10, 2015

1 IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL

Pursuant to Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 38.2(a)(l), Appellee certifies that the following is a complete list of all parties and counsel:

1. Appellee: Bank of America, N.A.

Represented at trial and on appeal by: Mark D. Hopkins Texas State Bar No. 00793975 Shelley L. Hopkins Texas State Bar No. 24036497 Hopkins Law, PLLC 12117 Bee Caves Rd., Suite 260 Austin, Texas 78738 (512) 600-4320- Telephone (512) 600-4326- Facsimile

2. Appellant: Mary Rust

Represented at trial and on appeal by: David A. Rogers Texas State Bar No. 2401089 Law Office of David Rodgers 1201 Spyglass Drive, Suite 100 Austin Texas 78746 (512) 923-1836- Telephone (512) 777-5988- Facsimile Firm@DARogersLaw.com

3. Trial Judge: Hon. Todd T. Wong County Court at Law No. 1 Travis County, Texas

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS

BRIEF FOR THE APPELLEE ................................................................................. 1 IDENTITY OF PARTIES AND COUNSEL ........................................................... 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................... 3 INDEX OF AUTHORITIES ..................................................................................... 4 STATEMENT OF THE CASE ................................................................................. 7 ISSUES PRESENTED .............................................................................................. 8

1. Did the Trial Court appropriately enter judgment for Appellee on its forcible detainer suit based upon the documents admitted into evidence establishing Appellee's superior right to immediate possession of the Property, such evidence being: (a) a deed of trust with tenancy at sufferance clause, (b) a substitute trustee's deed, and (c) a notice to vacate? ............................................................................... 8

2. Did the trial court err in awarding Appellee Attorney's Fees pursuant to Texas Property Code 24.006(b )? .................................................. 8 STATEMENT OF FACTS ....................................................................................... 9 SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT ..................................................................... 10 ARGUMENTS & AUTHORITIES ........................................................................ 11 PRAYER ................................................................................................................. 20 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE ............................................................................... 21 CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE ...................................................................... 22 APPENDIX ............................................................................................................. 23

3 INDEX OF AUTHORITIES CASES PAGE(S)

Bierwirth v. Fed. Nat. Mortg. Ass 'n., 2014 WL 902541 (Tex. App.- Austin 2014)(mem. op.) .................................... 18

Bittinger v. Wells Fargo, N.A., 2011 WL 4793828 (Tex. App- Houston [14th Dist] 2011) .................................. 14

Black v. Washington Mut. Bank, 318 S.W.3d 414 (Tex. App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 2010, pet. dism'd w.o.j.) .. 12, 13

City ofKeller v. Wilson, 168 S.W.3d 802 (Tex.2005) ................................................................................ 11

Clarkson v. Deutsche Bank Nat'/ Trsut Co., 331 S.W.3d 837 (Tex. App.-Amarillo 2011, no pet) ....................................... 17

Crumpton v. Stevens, 936 S.W.2d 473 (Tex. App.-Fort Worth 1996, no writ) ..................................... 13

Deubler v. Bank ofNew York Mellon, 2011 WL 1331540 (Tex. App.--Fort Worth 2011, no pet.) (mem.op.) ............... l6

Fandy v. Lee, 880 S.W.2d 164 (Tex. App.-El Paso 1994, no writ) ........................................... 12

Fleming v. Fannie Mae, 2010 WL 4812983 (Tex. App.-Waco 2010, no pet. h.) (memo. op.) ............... 15

Haith v. Drake, 596 S.W.2d 194 (Tex. App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 1980, writ refd n.r.e.) ........... 13

Hartzog v. Seeger Coal Co., 163 S.W. 1055 (Tex. Civ. App.-Dallas 1914, no writ) ....................................... 13

4 Home Sav. Ass 'n v. Ramirez, 600 S.W.2d 911 (Tex. Civ. App.-Corpus Christi 1980, writ refd n.r.e) ............ 13

Hong Kong Dev., Inc. v. Nguyen, 229 S.W.3d 415 (Tex. App.-Houston [1st Dist.] 2007, no pet.) ......................... 13

Hornsby v. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, 2012 WL 3525420 (Tex.App.-Dallas Aug. 16, 2012, no pet.) (mem.op.) .... 15, 17

Intercontinental Grp. Partnership v. KB Home Lone Star L.P., 295 S.W.3d 650 (Tex. 2009) ............................................................................... 18

Jaimes v. Federal Nat. Mortg. Ass'n, 2013 WL 7809751 (Tex. App.- Austin 2013(mem. op.) ................................... 18

Kaldis v. Aurora Loan Servs., 2010 WL 2545614 (Tex.App.-Houston [1st Dist.] June 24, 2010, pet. dism'd w.o.j.) (mem.op.) ................................................................................................. 16

Kindred v. Con/Chem, Inc., 650 S.W.2d 61 (Tex.1983) .................................................................................. 11

Martinez v. Beas ley, 572 S.W.2d 83 (Tex. Civ. App.-Corpus Christi 1979, no writ) .......................... 13

Middleton v. Crestar Mortgage Corp., 2000 WL 298694 (Tex. App.-Austin 2000, no pet.) (mem.op.) ....................... 15

Mitchell v. Citifinancial Mortg. Co., 192 S.W.3d 882 (Tex. App.-Dallas 2006, no pet.) ........................................... 18

Powelson v. US. Bank Nat'/ Ass'n, 125 S.W.3d 810 (Tex. App.-Dallas 2004, no pet.) ........................................... 18

Reardean v. Federal Home Loan Mortg. Corp., 2013 WL 4487523 (Tex. Civ. App.- Austin, 2013) ........................................... 15

Rice v. Pinney,

Mary Rust v. Bank of America, N.A., (Tex. Ct. App. 2015).

Mary Rust v. Bank of America, N.A. (Mary Rust v. Bank of America, N.A.) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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